The Glen Club

The Glen Club, which opened in 2001 in Glenview as the centerpiece of The Glen development, represents one of the most remarkable golf course transformations in American history. Designed by renowned architect Tom Fazio and built at a cost of $27 million, the course was constructed on the former site of Naval Air Station Glenview, which closed in 1993, with miles of old military runways converted into sweeping fairways. The ambitious project involved moving 2.4 million cubic yards of earth and planting 4,000 trees across 21 different species to create what Golf Magazine called a “miraculous transformation from runways to fairways.”

When the Chicago Tribune previewed the course in April 2001, it declared The Glen Club "one of the boldest and most improbable projects to hit the Chicago golf scene in many years," noting that decades had passed since a new course had been built in such a prime location. Upon its summer 2001 debut with premium green fees of $150 per round, the course opened to unprecedented acclaim, becoming the only course in U.S. history to earn placement on all three prestigious Top 10 New Course lists published by Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, and Sports Illustrated. Today, the course is owned by KemperSports and has established itself as a tournament venue, annually hosting the Korn Ferry Tour's NV5 Invitational since 2019. Green fees are still very steep, maxing out at $220 in 2024.

The Glen Club's beautifully manicured grounds stretch 7,170 yards from the back tees, with 40 feet of elevation changes that add various shotmaking elements to a layout that earns a course rating of 74.9 and slope of 141. The difficulty is comparable to Pine Meadow, Seven Bridges, and both Harborside courses. A variety of man-made ponds dot the course throughout the standard routing of four par-5s and four par-3s, with one par-3 facing each compass direction. Architect Fazio strategically placed most water hazards on the left side of holes, theorizing that right-handed golfers typically miss with a slice. While trees dot the landscape here, they don't define the course like many Chicagoland layouts. Although residential properties border the perimeter, they don't intrude into the playing areas, allowing generous spacing between holes that prevents any feeling of being cramped. The course is walkable but provides a good workout with all the hills, though at this premium price point, the absence of squared-off tee boxes represents a missed opportunity for added refinement.

The club’s impressive 50,000 square foot clubhouse, which cost $12 million to construct in the early 2000s, stands as one of the finest facilities in Chicagoland golf. It not only has a hotel, but it serves as the home of the Illinois PGA and its Hall of Fame, displaying extensive historic memorabilia and dozens of plaques honoring Illinois golf luminaries throughout both floors. Inside, golfers will find a modest-sized pro shop stocked with Glen Club-branded merchandise and the upscale Glen Club Grill restaurant, which features steakhouse vibes. The practice area here is solid, with a grass tee driving range, a large practice green adjacent to the clubhouse, and several additional greens with bunkers at the far end of the range for putting and short game work.